Holcim is the largest cement manufacturer in Switzerland. It also holds significant market shares in the sectors of ready-mix concrete, as well as gravel, sand and grit. Holcim produces cement at 3 sites and operates around 20 gravel quarries as well as approximately 40 concrete plants. Holcim Switzerland’s clients hail from the construction industry – a trade which is known for its high rate of bankruptcy
As a large firm, with around 1300 employees, Holcim Switzerland practices professional credit management. On the one hand this involves the systematic credit assessments of individual clients, while on the other it is necessary to have a comprehensive overview of the complete client portfolio. Already several years ago Holcim decided upon testing, with a benchmark, the credit rating of its clients with Dun & Bradstreet Switzerland Ltd. As Csaba Szabo, Head of Treasury, Taxes & Risk at Holcim stated: «Crucial for the collaboration with Dun & Bradstreet was the coverage of the company’s entirety, the payment records, as well as the up-to-dateness of debt enforcement information.» Besides all new clients, existing clients above a particular order value were also checked.
In 2013 Holcim wanted to further improve its credit management. The aim was to keep the risk profiles of business ventures up to date automatically, to depict the corporate networks of clients and optimise both, the credit limits and internal reporting. Holcim sought appropriate solutions in the market, where Dun & Bradstreet could also establish itself. In collaboration with the consultants of Dun & Bradstreet, the need for the tailored Holcim system arose, which allows for a comprehensive overview of Swiss clients. «Dun & Bradstreet’s new solution enables us insights into credit management, which were not at all possible previously,» says Csaba Szabo. «We have an overview of the shift in our risk profiles, and operate an extremely useful visualisation and communication tool. Dun & Bradstreet offers us important support in credit management and we greatly appreciate that besides good support, we can also profit from workshops and expert information.»